To Heal Her Heart
by Buffybot76
Summary: DISCONTINUED - Leon makes a horrible mistake in the heat of battle. Can ammends be made, and will things ever be the same again?
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Please be gentle with me. This is my first attempt at a fic in this fandom and with this pairing. I've only just recently started playing the games and so my portrayal of them will probably be pretty shaky. Just read and give me constructive criticism if you must, but please, no flames, okay? Thank you._

**To Heal Her Heart**

_By: Buffybot76_

**Disclaimer:** The characters portrayed in this fic are the sole property of Squaresoft and Disney co. I do not own them and am only toying with them for my own amusement.

_**- Chapter One -**_

Leon stood, frozen in place despite being surrounded by the enemy. The Heartless closed in on the gunblade wielder and the crumpled form lying at the young man's feet, but still, he did not move. His eyes were glued to his weapon as a look of disbelief seeped into them, wanting to deny the fact that the crimson substance, which stained the metal of his blade, was actually blood.

And not that of the enemy, for you see, Heartless do not bleed. And that fact alone was proof enough that Leon had not struck down one of the vile creatures he and his friends had been fighting.

It was, in fact, one of his own allies.

"Leon, look out!"

Cloud's cry barely penetrated the haze that was Leon's mind at the moment as the blonde haired man leapt over Leon's head, somersaulting in the process, to land between the distracted man and the group of Heartless that were about to attack the unfocused man. One... two... three swipes of his massive sword and Cloud rended the dark forms asunder, effectively ending the battle that had been taking place only moments ago.

"Yuffie!"

In a flurry of pink, Aerith ran over to the crumpled form still lying at Leon's feet. Her hands immediately working to summon any sort of spell to help heal the gaping wound in the young ninja's side.

A wound that had been made by Leon's own gunblade.

"Leon, quick! We need to move her inside." Aerith's usual merry voice was overcast with anxiety as she sent a pleading gaze at Leon. When she did not get a response, in fact, no reaction at all, she tried again. "Leon, Yuffie is badly injured. I can't heal her here. Please hurry!"

Still, he remained motionless.

"Enough of this." Cloud cut in as he realized that Leon was still in a state of shock.

Cloud had seen what had happened from the corner of his eye, as he was just finishing off the last of the Heartless that had decided to attack him. He saw how Yuffie had popped up near Leon, striking down a Heartless that had been stealthily making its way up behind the young man. She had taken care of it easily enough with her shiruken but the ninja had not taken into account Leon's quick reflexes. The gunblade's sharp edge had cut smoothly into the dark haired girl when its owner had turned swiftly and struck out instinctively at sensing a sudden presence behind him.

Yuffie had gone down like a rock with only a small gasp of surprised pain leaving her lips.

"I'll take her." Cloud moved to kneel beside Yuffie, and as easily as he could, gathered her into his strong arms. He tried his best not to jostle her as he cradled her against his chest, her head falling limply to his shoulder and resting there.

Cloud spared one last look at Leon, who just now seemed to be coming aware of his surroundings again. Their gazes locked for a brief instant before Leon turned away, almost as if ashamed. He said not a word, instead simply walked away, not bothering to glance back at the others.

"Hmph." Cloud shook his head, hefted Yuffie into a more secure hold before turning to begin the walk back toward Merlin's house.

Leon walked away quickly, wanting, no, **_needing_** to get away from the sight of Yuffie's bleeding body. The image of her blood on his weapon made his heart clench in his chest and a feeling that he did not like in the **_least_** overcame him.

He kept his head bowed, eyes trained down to the ground, as he went and so did not see the trio running up to him until they were right in front of him, calling his name.

"Hey, Leon, what's going on? What happened to Yuffie?" Sora asked, looking past Leon at Cloud and Aerith's retreating backs. "Why is Cloud having to carry her?"

"Uh-yah! Is she hurt or somethin'?" Goofy added, earning him a jab in the ribs from his white-feathered companion. "Yow!"

"Of course she is!" Donald scolded in his barely comprehensible speech, "Why else do you think she'd need to be carried?"

Leon held back the cringe that wanted to sweep through his body at the reminder of Yuffie's condition.

Sora shook his head at the two's antics before turning back to Leon, only to blink in surprise when he wasn't there. "What the – "

Turning to look around, the trio caught sight of Leon's back as he rounded the corner of a building.

"Hey!" Sora shouted as he sprinted after the stoic man; Donald and Goofy right behind him. "Leon, wait up! You didn't tell us about Yuffie yet!"

Leon kept walking for a bit longer, but finally slowed to a stop when he realized that his persistent pursuers were not going to give up so easily. Heaving a sigh, Leon came to a halt and waited silently for them to catch up.

"Leoooon!" Sora's voice took on an almost whine that caused Leon to grimace. "What's going on? Why won't you answer me?"

Leon crossed his arms and huffed, not bothering to turn around and face Sora as he responded. "I don't know."

Sora's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You don't…. Why didn't you just say so then, jeez." Shrugging, Sora turned back to the others. "Oh well, guess we'll have to find out ourselves. Come on, guys!"

Leon waited quietly until the sound of their footsteps faded before turning around and looking back in the direction he had come from. He could make out the street that Merlin's house was on, though he couldn't see the building itself. The building that now housed Yuffie as she possibly fought for her life. Leon was no fool. He knew how deep his gunblade had sank into the ninja's body, cutting through flesh, muscle and bone, possibly vital organs as well.

Suddenly, he was running. As fast as he could, he raced through town, unheeding of what direction he took. Every once in a while he would encounter a Heartless, but only briefly as he would strike it down with one swipe as he continued to run… Continued to flee…

How long he ran, Leon didn't know. All he knew was that when he finally **_did_** stop, it was in a darkened alley. He was panting for breath, his heart racing as sweat dripped down, dampening his hair so that it was plastered to his forehead and the sides of his face. His grip loosened on Lionheart and eventually the gunblade fell to the ground beside him before he too sank to his knees.

His hands tightened into fists at his sides as he shook his head, eyes squeezed tight as he attempted to banish the image that suddenly flashed before them. The sight of Yuffie's face, her gray eyes glazed over with pain as she collapsed in a heap at his feet. The shocked expression would most likely stay with him for some time.

"Yuffie…"

Her name, when it left his lips, came in an uncharacteristically broken whisper. It was then, and only then, that Squall Leonheart allowed the guilt that he felt to completely wash over him. Throwing his head back, he let out the scream that had been building inside of him since the moment the realization of what he had done had set in.

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

_**To Heal Her Heart**_

_**- Chapter Two -**_

It was some time before Leon finally cooled down from the rage he felt at himself for harming a teammate. It was the first time he could remember ever doing such a thing to one of their own. He remembered how he had run from Sora and the others and still felt that he could not face them yet. Not until he knew whether or not Yuffie would be okay.

When that thought crossed his mind, he decided that it would not be difficult to sneak into Merlin's home and find out. Even if he could never apologize for what he had done, even if it had been in the thick of battle, he should have been able to pull his blow. It was not completely his fault that his reflexes were that fast and his teachers had been that good, but remembering the blood upon his blade, he could not help but feel the guilt that came with spilling blood without good cause.

He stealthily made his way back to Merlin's abode and quickly dealt with any Heartless that he came upon. Once there, finding Yuffie's room was a simple matter and it seemed as if she was in the room alone. He approached the bed and looked down upon the pale, brave ninja. The fact that she was still breathing was a good sign. He wondered just how badly he had injured her and whether she would be able to forgive him. One thing was sure, he was not certain he would be able to forgive himself.

Leon's brooding thoughts were cut short when a voice drifted from a darkened corner, breaking the silence in the room.

"Don't worry," Leon spun around and watched as the familiar form of Cloud emerged from where he had been leaning against the far wall, concealed by the shadows. Cloud moved across the room to stand with Leon beside Yuffie's bed. "Aerith says she'll be alright." He informed the gunbladist, gently placing a reassuring hand on the other man's shoulder.

, Leon shrugged the hand away. "Whatever."

Cloud sighed as he let his hand drop back to his side. The two stood in silence, staring at the sleeping girl before the blonde spoke again. "I wondered when you would show back up again."

Leon debated answering the half-question from the other warrior. "I almost didn't." He whispered. He looked down at Yuffie. "I should never have harmed her like that."

"It was an accident. Could have happened to any of us." Cloud pointed out.

"But it shouldn't have." Leon broke away from Cloud and moved over to the window, looking out. Another moment of silence passed before… "Do you ever think… that we've been fighting for too long?"

"Eh... " Cloud shrugged, "It gets tiring sometimes."

Leon scoffed softly. "It feels like I've been fighting forever. Ever since I can remember it's been evil no matter where you go. You know what I'm talking about."

"The shadow hearts..." Cloud murmured, nodding.

Leon nodded as well, "Ever since they appeared, it's been… We've been lucky, I guess. But today I was careless. Feels so stupid. This… this kind of tragedy has never happened before."

"So? Everyone makes mistakes - that's what Sora and Aerith tell me all the time."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, okay? But nearly losing a team member by my own hand… What if this is a milestone… The first of many? And definitely not a good one."

"It's not going to happen." Cloud iterated firmly.

"Again." Leon mumbled morosely.

Cloud glared and decided to follow it up with words. "How about this thought. If you do accidentally impale a team member on your gunblade again - I'll kill you. At least then you won't have to live with yourself." He paused a moment, giving the threat time to sink in. "Anyway, you're sorry, and no one died." He finished, crossing his arms.

"Thanks…" Leon gave an amused chuckle. "I think."

Cloud chuckled as well. "Going to stay, then?"

"I'm still not sure if I should. What will the others say?" Leon asked about the second worry that he had.

Cloud sobered up as well. "The others understand. Accidents are easily understood in the midst of battle."

"In the midst of battle is one thing, but what about after?"

"Leon, I know even Yuffie will understand. Never startle a warrior in the midst of battle." Cloud stated the oldest rule of combat.

Leon finally nodded. "I'll stay, then." He almost smiled. "If they decide to lynch me in the morning, I guess we'll have our answers, won't we?"

Cloud nodded. "But they won't. Have some faith in your teammates." He pulled up a second chair. "In the meantime, you can help me watch over Yuffie until Aerith comes to check on her in the morning."

The two men sat in companionable silence through most of the night, every once in a while one or the other dozed off for a few moment's sleep. Leon was on the verge of doing just that when the small form they had both been keeping vigilance over began to moan softly. He looked over to see Yuffie shifting restlessly upon the bed.

Worrying that her movement might cause her injury to reopen, Leon rose from his chair and moved to stand at the right side of Yuffie's bed. Not sure of what to do, he looked to Cloud, who was still seated in his chair, watching with worry in his own eyes. The two men looked on in uncertainty as Yuffie's movements began to grow more volatile. She moaned pitifully, her eyes rapidly moving beneath her lids, indicating that she was ensnared in an apparently intense dream.

Or nightmare…

Leon was reluctant to touch her or say anything, unsure that the sound of his voice intruding upon her obviously already disturbed subconscious wouldn't, in fact, make the situation worse. Cloud seemed to have no qualms, however, as he rose from his chair and moved to the other side of the bed. Seating himself on the edge of the mattress, the blonde proceeded to reach out and place his left hand upon Yuffie's now perspiration beaded brow. Leaning down, he began to whisper reassuringly into the ninja's ear.

_'I've never seen Cloud act so gentle before...'_ Leon thought to himself as he continued to watch the other man continue to sooth away Yuffie's agitation. The gunbladist stood awkwardly as he witnessed the ninja unconsciously turn and proceed to snuggle into a surprised Cloud's side.

Leon shifted nervously, his discomfort at witnessing an innocent yet tender scene was evident. Not to mention there was this foreign sense of… was it contempt he felt causing his stomach to clench in such a way? That was the only word he could come up with to describe what he felt as he watched Cloud futily try to rise from the bed, only to be met by Yuffie's arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Apparently, the presence of another source of warmth was all the ninja needed in order to settle back into peaceful sleep.

He sighed in resignation when he realized that in order for him to gain his release he would more than likely have to wake Yuffie up. "It looks like I'm stuck." He muttered to himself.

Leon looked on, a half amused expression on his face. "Need some help?" He asked, half jokingly.

"I think I can manage." Came the smooth response as Cloud proceeded to gently and carefully work his way out of Yuffie's semi-embrace.

Once he had gained his release, Cloud turned to Leon. "I should go patrol. You think you can stay with her till Aerith comes in in the morning?"

Leon nodded, still a little nervous about seeing the others. "I suppose I can do that. Will you be back in case the others decide to lynch me?"

"They won't lynch you," Cloud sighed, becoming serious. "It was just an unfortunate accident."

"So you keep saying." Leon grumbled, crossing his arms defensively. "There is no guarantee that the others will see it that way."

Cloud shrugged. "Might as well find out what they think now." He said. "It's best not to let anger fester."

"Let's wait until morning." Leon countered. He was not looking forward to the confrontations he was sure were coming. "No reason for everyone to lose sleep over this."

Cloud shook his head. He knew that no matter what he said, it simply would not sink in. Leon was stubborn like that, and until he had actually faced the others and saw for himself that there would be no hostility on their friends' parts, he would continue to worry. The blonde waved a hand dismissively and he walked across the room, using one of the other man's favorite words as he reached the door.

"Whatever."

And without looking back to catch Leon's reaction, Cloud left.

Leon was at a total loss for words. He stared at the bedroom door for a moment longer before turning back toward the bed and its occupant. He took in her pale appearance, made even paler as she was basked in the moonlight streaming in through the window. She looked so helpless. So… fragile.

And it was all his fault.

He winced and couldn't help but wonder what the others would do to him. If the morning would find him tarred and feathered, or worse, drawn and quartered. A good skewering was in order, perhaps. He knew that worrying about it was useless, but couldn't stop himself from doing just that. He yawned suddenly and realized how late it actually was. He gazed again at the sleeping Yuffie and decided to follow her example. Pulling his chair closer to the bed, he settled down, crossing his arms on the mattress to use as a pillow for his head before quickly falling into a light doze.

Meanwhile, Cloud patrolled the streets of Hollow Bastion, keeping a keen eye out for any and all things Heartless as he thought over the situation with Leon and Yuffie. H knew how guilty Leon was feeling for accidentally harming Yuffie. Hell, if it had been him, he most likely would feel just as bad. He knew the others wouldn't hold it against Leon, but just in case, he made a note to talk to the them prior to their seeing Leon the next morning.

TBC…


End file.
